Coscienceguy
Observer
Good evening, I've searched a lot of threads for how someone would mount curtains in their truck topper, especially for the folks out there who have their sleeping platforms built in the back. I came up with nothing that was an actual fit! So, I decided I'd sew my own curtains, and mount them for the sides and back of my sleeping platform in my F350. On to the pics!
Here is a shot of the side curtains. I sewed them with about a 1" loop on the top and bottom so I could slide my stretchy string through. I wanted them detachable so I could clean them, given the fact that they are white camo(my favorite, and wife approved
). I measured where I wanted my curtains to cover, and made plans for fabric off of that. If you like the bunched up look, make them longer than you need so you have the excess length to give you that bunched up look. The sides have two strings, one for top and one for the bottom so they don't crowd the sleeping area, that means each side window has 4 blocks that I glued. On the top back ones I also mounted the back curtain, and a little hook that comes in handy to hang a jacket, headlamp, or keys on while camping. The bottom back blocks on each side have a hook for the side curtains, and a nice little curtain retention for the back curtain as you can see.
I used liquid nail to glue to wood pieces to my fiberglass. I used a harder wood, and sanded it down before gluing. Let it cure for at least 24 hours before testing out your curtains. I used the stretchy string from the fabric store, but it sagged way more than I thought it would. So, I pulled it super tight and made a loop to attach it with, the initial plan of using carabiners was no longer needed.
For the back, I used two simple pieces, and a bigger loop on top because I was using a bungee cord to stretch that. I thought the wood blocks wouldn't be able to handle the pull of a bungee cord, but they did! So maybe for the next curtains I will use bungee cord all around instead of stretchy string.
On the back curtains, I used 4 small magnetic nuts that I sewed into the bottom spread out, for if I ever wanted it to magnetize down. It adds weight to let the curtain hang down anyway. Where the two curtains meet, I sewed in velcro patches to keep the light, and looky-loos from seeing in. My wife likes to sleep in so i can close those and let her sleep.
The curtains all around make the truck more private, and easier to change clothes in for the wife. The white doesn't block out the light too well, obviously, but again, I like the camo pattern. One could certainly sew in a black fabric behind to block the light.
I did make panels for the head of the bed as well, and planned to hang them with magnetic nuts, and strong magnets glued to the topper, but the magnets didn't hold well with the glue, and I could see pillows pulling them down at night. I will eventually mount them on a string of some sort and then the sleeping platform will be totally private.
If anyone would like to see more pictures, I am happy to take more and show you more detail.
Here is a patriotic pic of my truck without the topper on He's come a long way.
Here is a shot of the side curtains. I sewed them with about a 1" loop on the top and bottom so I could slide my stretchy string through. I wanted them detachable so I could clean them, given the fact that they are white camo(my favorite, and wife approved
). I measured where I wanted my curtains to cover, and made plans for fabric off of that. If you like the bunched up look, make them longer than you need so you have the excess length to give you that bunched up look. The sides have two strings, one for top and one for the bottom so they don't crowd the sleeping area, that means each side window has 4 blocks that I glued. On the top back ones I also mounted the back curtain, and a little hook that comes in handy to hang a jacket, headlamp, or keys on while camping. The bottom back blocks on each side have a hook for the side curtains, and a nice little curtain retention for the back curtain as you can see.I used liquid nail to glue to wood pieces to my fiberglass. I used a harder wood, and sanded it down before gluing. Let it cure for at least 24 hours before testing out your curtains. I used the stretchy string from the fabric store, but it sagged way more than I thought it would. So, I pulled it super tight and made a loop to attach it with, the initial plan of using carabiners was no longer needed.
For the back, I used two simple pieces, and a bigger loop on top because I was using a bungee cord to stretch that. I thought the wood blocks wouldn't be able to handle the pull of a bungee cord, but they did! So maybe for the next curtains I will use bungee cord all around instead of stretchy string.
On the back curtains, I used 4 small magnetic nuts that I sewed into the bottom spread out, for if I ever wanted it to magnetize down. It adds weight to let the curtain hang down anyway. Where the two curtains meet, I sewed in velcro patches to keep the light, and looky-loos from seeing in. My wife likes to sleep in so i can close those and let her sleep.
The curtains all around make the truck more private, and easier to change clothes in for the wife. The white doesn't block out the light too well, obviously, but again, I like the camo pattern. One could certainly sew in a black fabric behind to block the light.
I did make panels for the head of the bed as well, and planned to hang them with magnetic nuts, and strong magnets glued to the topper, but the magnets didn't hold well with the glue, and I could see pillows pulling them down at night. I will eventually mount them on a string of some sort and then the sleeping platform will be totally private.
If anyone would like to see more pictures, I am happy to take more and show you more detail.
Here is a patriotic pic of my truck without the topper on
He's come a long way.
